8. Rio Ferdinand (from Leeds to Manchester United 2002/2003) – €46 million
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Arguably Manchester United’s greatest defender ever, Rio Ferdinand is a man whose name is synonymous with top-class defending. Scouted by Frank Lampard’s father for West Ham’s back in 1992, the defender has been the subject of high-profile bids for what seems like an eternity.
His rise to the first team was unstoppable – by the age of 19, West Ham United fans voted him the Hammer of the Year – a tribute to his impressive 46 games in the heart of their defence. After almost 160 games for West Ham, the big clubs could no longer hold back and Leeds United broke their transfer record to make Ferdinand the most expensive defender in history for €26 million. The following year he was club captain aged just 22; at which point he had already become the youngest defender to ever play for England.
A key player in their semi-final stage exit in the 2000/2001 Champions League campaign, Ferdinand was everything they’d paid for, and more! After 73 appearances and 3 goals in just 2 seasons, however, Leeds’ well-documented financial issues meant they had to let go of their star player to Ferguson’s Manchester United.
Once again, Rio Ferdinand was on the move, and once again, he was to break the transfer record for a defender. This time, Manchester United spent more than they had ever done on any player – a stunning statement of the 23yr-old’s ability. For €46 million, Rio Ferdinand signed for Manchester United in the summer of 2002. The rest, as they say, is history.
The next 12 years of his career were a story of style, power and leadership as he led Manchester United to 6 Premier League titles, 3 League cups, 1 Champions League victory & 1 Club World Cup. His immense displays earned him 81 caps for his country, as well as immense respect from all his peers.
A 6-time PFA Team of the Season winner, he became the bedrock of Manchester United’s domestic success, appearing over 450 times for the Red Devils. After his contract expired in 2014, he opted to go for one last season with QPR, suffering relegation just a year after scoring the final goal of the highly-successful Ferguson era.
He has become a global symbol of top-quality defending and can be heard and seen on many TV Channels today. His name is synonymous with United’s success, and with the words “big-money defender”!
